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alanakusumas · 7 years

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Let There Be Light (Jake x F!MC)

Title: Let There Be Light Fandom: Endless Summer Word Count: 2,554 (whoops) Rating: PG

Summary: The days go by, and there’s still no sign of Diego. There have been way too many close calls. Michelle and Quinn being shot by paralyzing arrows, Raj and Grace almost being taken by the Watcher, the shortage of parachutes…who knows when danger will arise again, and what if they can’t get out of it? These thoughts have consumed Jake, and although he knows his days are limited, it’s wracking him into a state of worry that he and M/C won’t make it out.

Author’s Note: I listened to ‘Anchor’ by Novo Amor and ‘Bloodstream’ by The Chainsmokers while writing this. I hope these songs evoke a few ~feelings~ when reading this as it did for me when writing! ✨💕

——

208 days since the time jump.

“Ugh, I can’t do this anymore,” Michelle flops onto a loveseat in the lobby, blonde locks bouncing off her shoulders to her momentum. “I don’t even know what we’re searching for at this point!”

Zahra follows the blonde girl’s exasperation, along with Quinn, Craig, and Raj, as they all drop like flies into couches nearby. Jake’s already lounging at the bar, swirling the glass of whiskey at hand. Even Grace – as focused as she usually is - hesitantly sits on the edge of a sofa.

“Ditto,” Raj sighs, “I could really use a break right now. Anyone down to find a DVD set of Lost and cry over the parallels we have with the show?”

Sean strides into the lobby, with you trailing behind him slightly. “You guys…” He looks determined - as if he’s about to begin another one of his motivational speeches - but cuts himself short, slumping his shoulders. “No, you’re right. We need a break.”

It’s been four days since your entire group time travelled six months into the future, but an unsettling feeling still sits in the pit of your stomach. Your mind goes into turmoil at the thought of Diego, how he is, where he is. You must find him, no matter what. But as your eyes make their way across all of your friends, sprawled throughout the lobby, feeling defeated, you know a little break might do you all some good. Sighing, you suggest, “If that’s the case…perhaps we can go to the lounge? We’re still inside, and I think it’s the perfect atmosphere to let loose…for a little bit.”

From the corner of your vision, you notice Jake pace away from the lobby and to the doors exiting the hotel. You can’t help but wonder why. Does he know about the danger he could get himself into?

Your focus snaps back to the classmates in front of you when Zahra jolts up from her seat. “Don’t have to tell me twice, any excuse is a good excuse to get drunk.”

The rest of your group trudges behind Zahra, with Raj looking especially relieved. At first, you follow them to the lounge, but something tugs at your heartstrings a few paces in. And you know exactly what that “something” is as you stop in your tracks and turn back to glance at the Celestial’s exit.

Trust. Guilt. Concern.

Love?

Jake.

“M/C? You coming along?” Sean calls out.

It’s known that the pilot enjoys his alone time, but he rarely just gets up and leaves mid-conversation with the group. Especially when you’re the one talking. Is that selfish to think? “You guys go ahead,” You shout back, “I’ll catch up in a bit.”

Sean nods at you understandingly, and you jog out of the hotel to catch up to the person both Sean and yourself know you’re off chasing. You don’t need to tell Sean where you’re going, he just knows.

“Jake?” You call out to nobody in particular outside of the Celestial. Outside, there is not a single person in sight. Where could he have gone?

You step out further, hoping to broaden your horizon - and that’s when you spot him.

A small figure, in his signature army green jacket and blue jeans, strolls past the airstrip, and ascends the stairs to the control tower. You let out a breath of air you didn’t know you were holding in. At least he didn’t disappear, you think to yourself.

Running at a gentle pace, you pass the airstrip, and make your way upwards the control tower as well, careful not to step foot on the platform that broke apart the first time you walked up these stairs. There’s no pilot to save you this time if you were to slip through the crack.

“…Jake?” You speak softly, careful not to startle him and you quietly slip through the door. “I saw you walk up here. Is everything alright?”

Jake remains unfazed by your arrival, hands still tucked in his pocket as he gazes out at the view beyond the window pane. The sky is as clear and blue as it can be. It’s almost absurd, seeing La Huerta this calm amidst the chaos. “Do you remember the first time we were up here?”

“Yeah…” You slowly walk towards him, crossing your arms unsure of where this is going, “We saw those atmospheric lights dance along the horizon.”

“It seemed so long ago,” He breathes out gloomily, “Hard to believe it’s only been over a week.” He glances down at you. “I feel like I’ve known you for way longer than that. Is that weird?”

You respond to his question with a knowing smile. Your eyes still scream into the void, full of mourning, but Jake knows you mean well. “The uncertainty of life or death really brings people closer together, doesn’t it?” You half-heartedly joke.

Jake returns the same smile to you. He reaches up to tuck a strand of hair over your ear, and those same fingers trace your jawline, run down your neck…gently brushing your arm. Your eyes flutter close, enjoying this simple yet pleasurable sensation that manages to quicken your heartbeat. He seems to notice your sudden change in mind state, because he loops you in so you’re facing one another, the gap between your two bodies non-existent. He cups your face and presses his lips against yours, a soft kiss that spoke more than words ever could.

It might be the lust you had brewing inside of you for him, but every one of Jake’s kisses has you craving more. More of him, everything about him. You wanted more than anything to wrap your arms around his neck, to tangle your fingers into his locks of hair, and pull him into a more ravenous kiss, but he pulls away before you can act upon your thoughts. You shoot him a questionable look.

“Do you think we’ll see the lights again?” He asks after scanning his eyes across yours.

His thumbs rub up and down your shoulders as you respond. “I don’t know…do you want to see them?”

“Kind of,” Jake mumbles. “I don’t usually admit these things, but…those lights remind me of you. They remind me of the first time I really saw you…and when I saw all those colours play in your eyes, I was speechless. It…took my breath away. In some way, as cheesy as it sounds,” He smirks, “I guess you took my breath away. And, I just – I just wish there was some way I could be taken back to that moment,” He clasps his hands around yours, “To cherish that moment more when it happened.”

A breath he wasn’t aware he was holding in escapes his lips. “I wish we had more time,” He whispers to you, his faces inches away from yours. “I don’t know how much time we have left.”

“Jake…” You mutter, squeezing his hands in reassurance, “We’re going to make it out of this.” You say, but you’re not quite sure how much of it you believe either.

“Princess, it’s not even about that –“ Jake cuts himself short, lips pursed. “Okay, it’s a little bit about that.”

A slight chuckle escapes your lips. Jake saunters towards a chair across the room and gestures at you to follow. He takes a seat, and you decide to sit on top, innocently straddling him. You mindlessly fiddle with the collar of his jacket, allowing him time to gather his thoughts before he begins speaking again.

“Thing is, M/C, I’m hopeful we’ll get out of here. But, all the odds are against us, and there’s a high chance something terrible’s going to happen along the way. Like…you know.” He cocks his head to the side, at nothing in particular, but you know he’s trying to bring up Diego. You bite down on your lip and nod, understanding.

Jake pulls you closer to him, and you move your hands from his collars to his hair. “I’m scared, scared that every moment I have with you, will be the last. And as badly as I want to be with you, I know this is all going to end at some point. Even if we do make it out, who’s to say that we’ll see each other again?” A lump forms in your throat upon hearing his words.

He’s right. What if you can’t contact him once you return home, and he’s back in Costa Rica? What if something happens to either of you, and you decide it’s for the best you leave the other in the past, in your memories? What if this is all just one, extraordinary, heartbreaking, soul-crushing pit stop? “Jake…”

The pilot tugs at the back of your shirt, “I wish I could rewind to the beginning. I want to replay every moment I shared with you, endlessly.” He frowns. “Is that bad? Is it bad that if this is all we’ll ever be, I’d want to relive it over and over again, until the end of time? Because I just, I just –“

Jake looks down for a second, perplexed, and then buries his face into your chest. His scruff tickles you. “Holy shit,” He mutters, “I just realized that I might love you.”

Silence fills the room for a few seconds, the only noise coming from your heavy breathing as Jake rises and falls with your body. Your mind, your heart, is battling a mixture of emotions, while the island beyond the windowpane remains as still a ever. You’ve stopped playing with Jake’s hair.

“I –“ You start, but you can’t find the right words the both of you need to hear. “Jake, I –“

“You don’t have to say anything,” He cuts you off, looking up at you now with sorrowful eyes. “I get it, it’s just the adrenaline in me talking. Forget it.”

“No!” You retort, quite taken aback by your own response. You didn’t mean for it to come out so defensively. “I mean, no, Jake, I understand.” Now it’s your turn to trace his jawline, “I’ll admit, I don’t know what I’m feeling, but I know that I care about you…a lot. And I think that’s what a part of love is about. In a sense, I guess I might love you too.”

Relieved to hear those words, Jake smiles timidly at you, “But you deserve the world, M/C,” He whispers, “And I’m not going to take that from you.”

“You’re not,” You reassure him, “I want you to be a part of that world.”

He looks down again, this time with his shoulders slumped, “Princess…you know I can’t come home with you,” He admits, defeated, “And I’m not going to make you leave your home. I want you to be there. I want you to be comfortable, I want you…to be happy.” He bites down on his lips, and you can see that he’s trying to hold tears in.

“You shouldn’t have to constantly be on the move, like me. You deserve to have a nice home, with a loving partner, who will always be there for you. You shouldn’t have to wake up in the middle of the night, worried that someone has scouted your whereabouts, and taken your significant other to jail. You deserve to live the rest of your life worry-free. Hell, you deserve to live the rest of your life, period. Don’t waste it on somebody like me, who can’t give you everything you want. Don’t…” He inhales deeply, “Don’t waste your life on somebody’s who’s practically given up on theirs.”

You know it’s not physically possible, but his words shattered your heart into a million pieces. You can’t help but pull him into a tight embrace, partly because you needed to feel him close to you, and partly because you cannot bear to let him see the tears flow down your cheeks. None of what he said was true. None of it. “Jake…you might remember everything that happened in the control tower,” You mumble into the crook of his neck, “But it seems you’ve forgotten what I said before.” You lift up Jake’s chin and press a soft kiss to his lips, which he melts into.

Jake must have felt your tears, because he breaks off the kiss and looks at you with his softest gaze. He delicately wipes your tears away. “Refresh my memory then,” He urges.

You close your eyes and take a deep breath, channeling your inner courage to form proper sentences for him. “Before we walked up the control tower, you said something, ‘Big house, white picket fence, two kids playing the backyard, that’s what most people want.’ Remember?”

“Mhmm.”

“And then I said –“

The next part you both say in sync. “I’m not most people.”

Jake mindlessly runs his thumb across your bottom lip, and you lower your head to kiss it. “Yeah,” You mumble, “So remember that. I’m not going anywhere. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but this is what I want. You are what I want.”

“I really care about you, M/C, I can’t lose you. I - I can’t lose you too.”

It takes a moment for you to let those words sink in. As when they do, a wave of anxiety rushes through you. You shut your eyes and nod, just nod, because that’s all you can come up with. The idea of losing Diego had overcome you with grief for these past few days, you almost forget that Jake had once gone through the same. Except there was no doubt, no uncertainty. Mike had really died. So, you nod, absorbing Jake’s words. “I’ll do everything in my power not to let that happen,” you whisper, “I promise.”

And that was the truth. Since Diego was taken from you, you’ve vowed not to make promises that were against your willpower to make true.

Jake leans down and leaves kisses on your collarbones, inch by inch. “Me too,” He breathes. “You know I’ll do everything I can to protect you, right?”

“Oh, trust me, I’ve seen that first hand countless times,” You chuckle, leaning into the crook of his neck, recalling the numerous times he’s almost died, and that one time he did die, from trying to keep you safe.

“And I’ll do it countless more if I have to,” He pulls you into a tight embrace, and you return the same amount of strength into your hug as well.

For a few minutes, the both of you sit in the chair in silence, enjoying your time alone in the empty control tower. You allow each others’ minds to wander off into your respective trains of thoughts. You allow each others’ hands to wander over the other’s body, memorizing one anothers curves, the roughness of Jake’s hands caressing your skin, and the softness of yours exploring underneath his shirt. Neither of you have to say it; but the touch of each other soothed you both, it calmed you down. It reminded you that Jake is real, this is all real, and if you had to fight for your life until the end of time in La Huerta, he’d be right by your side, and you by his.

In this insane, closely-apocalyptic adventure, you’ve seen the galactic lights innumerable times. They played in your mind whenever you saw Jake, whenever you thought of him. Jake McKenzie is your light: Beautiful, mysterious, potentially dangerous. Unexpected, euphoric, worth the search, worth the chase. And that - strangely - comforts you.

“We might not see those lights again,” You tell him, “But we’ll find our own.”

“Promise?”

“…I Promise.”

#playchoices #jake mckenzie #i deleted this and reposted cause i made a few changes lol #jakexmc #fanfic #es ff #my writing

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cathygeha · 7 years

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In Jen Gilroy’s Back Home at Firefly Lake, Cat McGuire and Luc Simard find love and second chances in a heartwarming small-town romance that fans of Women’s Fiction and Susan Wiggs’ The Lakeshore Chronicles will love!

Rafflecopter for Back Home at Firefly Lake Blog Tour Giveaway:

Jen is offering one (1) lucky Grand Prize winner a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a paperback copy of Back Home at Firefly Lake. Five (5) runner-up winners will receive a paperback copy of their choice from the Firefly Lake series! This giveaway is open internationally. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:

Direct Link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29455/?

About Back Home at Firefly Lake (Firefly Lake #3):

Title: Back Home at Firefly Lake

Author: Jen Gilroy

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction

Release Date: December 5, 2017

Publisher: Forever – Grand Central Publishing

Series: Firefly Lake

Print ISBN: 9781455569618

Digital ISBN: 9781455566938

She has a million reasons to leave. Can he give her the one she needs to stay?

Cat McGuire’s return to Firefly Lake is turning into much more than she bargained for. Sure, she missed the crisp pine-scented air and the comfort of having her family around her. But being home makes her feel less like the successful single mom she is–and more like the awkward teen who never fit in. It doesn’t help that hockey-pro Luc Simard is back in town, too. Luc was her childhood crush, the hometown hero who never noticed her, and yet somehow he still makes her heart skip a beat. Luc’s homecoming has been bittersweet. He’s lost his wife and his career, but there’s no better place to start over than Firefly Lake. Coaching the local kids’ hockey team makes him feel alive again, and he thinks his life is complete–until Cat arrives. The shy girl he always wanted to protect is now the gorgeous woman who’s stealing his heart and making him believe in second chances. But how can he convince Cat that Firefly Lake is where she truly belongs?

Now an Amazon Best Book of the Month!

Add to your “Want to Read” shelf: Goodreads Available at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Praise for Back Home at Firefly Lake:

“When these two broken souls come together, magic happens.” – Publishers Weekly

“Back Home at Firefly Lake is a charming small-town, second-chance story. With well-written and relatable characters, readers both new and old to the series will enjoy it.” – Harlequin Junkie

Excerpt:

Luc’s heart squeezed. [Cat] was embarrassed to ask her family for help, like he’d have been embarrassed asking his. Except, that would never be an issue because he had more money than he could spend in one lifetime. Money to finance the creamery expansion his dad had talked about for years, and to send his folks on that cruise they’d hankered after but could never afford because of the cost of raising four kids and putting most of them through college. Money for everything except what mattered most—taking care of his wife and their child like he’d planned.

“Pay for the hockey registration when your grant comes through.” He tried to smile. “I know you’re good for it.”

“Thanks.” Cat’s voice cracked and she took one hand away from her bag to rub it across her face. “Hockey means everything to Amy. I want her to be able to play, but she’s growing so fast right now.”

“Hockey’s an expensive sport.” He slid an arm around her shoulders and gave her a little squeeze. The same kind of friendly squeeze he’d given her all those times back in high school when she’d saved his butt in chemistry. Before today, however, his fingers had never tingled when he’d touched Cat. His body had never heated, either.

Cat started and pulled away at the same instant he did. “Hockey can be a dangerous sport too, and now Amy will be playing with boys. She hasn’t played with boys since she was seven. She could get hurt.

Like he had, hurt so bad it had ended his career. “Amy’s playing minor hockey. At her age, there is a rule about no body checking.” He tried to make his tone reassuring. “I promise I’ll keep a close eye on her.” It was his job as her coach, and he’d do the same for any kid. It had nothing to do with the strange and unexpected attraction he all of a sudden had for this woman he’d known his whole life, who he’d never really looked at until today.

A woman who wasn’t Maggie. Luc’s stomach clenched in a tangled lump of guilt and grief, tied tight with a slippery ribbon of disloyalty. Maggie was never coming back, but that didn’t mean Luc could forget her. Or that he wanted to.

Other Books in the Firefly Lake Series:

Some mistakes can never be fixed and some secrets never forgiven … but some loves can never be forgotten.

Charlotte Gibbs wants nothing more than to put the past behind her, once and for all. Yet now that she's back at Firefly Lake to sell her mother's cottage, the overwhelming flood of memories reminds her of what she's been missing. Sun-drenched days. Late-night kisses that still shake her to the core. The gentle breeze off the lake, the scent of pine in the air, and the promise of Sean's touch on her skin…True, she got her dream job traveling the world. But at what cost?

Sean Carmichael still doesn't know why Charlie disappeared that summer, but after eighteen years, a divorce, and a teenage son he loves more than anything in the world, he's still not over her. All this time and her body still fits against his like a glove. She walked away once when he needed her the most. How can he convince her to stay now?

Add to your “Want to Read” shelf: Goodreads

Available at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Praise for The Cottage at Firefly Lake:

“Gilroy’s debut contemporary is packed with potent emotions…[the] protagonists tug at the heartstrings from the beginning of the story and don’t let go. Long on charm, this story invites readers to come in and stay a while.” – Publishers Weekly

“Memories, regrets and second chances are front and center in Gilroy’s fantastic debut.” – RT Book Reviews

Summer on Firefly Lake

Sometimes love is better the second time around.

Mia Gibbs spent her marriage putting her husband’s needs before her own. And now, after a painful divorce, she’s building a new life for herself and her two daughters back home at Firefly Lake. The last thing she needs is a man to complicate things. But former bad boy turned friend Nick McGuire—and the one kiss they’ve shared—has turned everything upside down.

Attorney Nick McGuire wasn’t meant to be a family man. His career has always been his focus, and after taking time out to help his mother, he’s ready to get back to the city…until Mia and her daughters arrive at Firefly Lake. Mia is beautiful and intriguing, and it doesn’t take long to realize being “just friends” will never be enough. As the summer nights turn colder, Nick will have to choose between the life he’s always wanted…and the woman he can’t live without.

Add to your “Want to Read” shelf: Goodreads

Available at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Praise for SUMMER ON FIREFLY LAKE

“Has charm to spare… The delightful supporting cast and expertly plotted story add depth and richness to this tale, leaving readers eager for another visit to Firefly Lake.”—Publishers Weekly

“4 stars! Gilroy’s second Firefly Lake novel encapsulates the quaint, busybody small-town feel and the slippery slope of friends becoming lovers quite well… Engaging…[a] fast-paced page turner.”—RT Book Reviews

About Jen Gilroy:

Jen Gilroy lives in a small town in eastern Ontario, Canada where her Irish ancestors settled in the nineteenth century. She's worked in higher education and international marketing but, after spending too much time in airports and away from her family, traded the 9-5 to write romantic women’s fiction to bring readers' hearts home.

Jen likes ice cream, diners, vintage style and all things country. Her husband is her real-life romance hero, and her teen daughter teaches her to cherish the blessings in the everyday.

The Cottage at Firefly Lake, the first book in her Firefly Lake series, was a finalist for Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart® award in 2015. It was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Joan Hessayon Award 2017.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

http://www.barclaypublicity.com

#Jen Gilroy #Barclay Publicity #Firefly Lake #Contemporary Romance

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cathygeha · 7 years

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Summer on Firefly Lake

Jen Gilroy

Divorced mom, Mia Gibbs' family is her life, but her world is turned upside down when she falls for her one-time teenage crush Nick McGuire, a workaholic lawyer who isn't a family man. Fans of Susan Wiggs' The Lakeshore Chronicles will love this heartwarming friends to lovers story releasing this summer from Grand Central - Forever.

Rafflecopter for Summer on Firefly Lake Blog Tour Giveaway:

Jen is offering one (1) lucky Grand Prize winner a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a paperback copy of both The Cottage at Firefly Lake (the first book in the series) and Summer on Firefly Lake. Five (5) runner-up winners will receive a paperback copy of Summer on Firefly Lake! This giveaway is open internationally. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29386/?

About Summer on Firefly Lake (Firefly Lake #2):

Title: Summer on Firefly Lake

Author: Jen Gilroy

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction

Release Date: July 25, 2017

Publisher: Forever – Grand Central Publishing

Series: Firefly Lake

ISBN: 9781455569601

Sometimes love is better the second time around.

Add to your “Want to Read” shelf: Goodreads

Available at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Praise for Summer on Firefly Lake:

“Has charm to spare...The delightful supporting cast...and expertly plotted story add depth and richness to this tale, leaving readers eager for another visit to Firefly Lake.” – Publishers Weekly

“Gilroy’s second Firefly Lake novel encapsulates the quaint, busybody small-town feel and the slippery slope of friends becoming lovers quite well…Engaging...(a) fast paced page turner.” – RT Book Reviews

Excerpt:

“I want this.” Mia lifted her face to his as a cloud scudded across the moon. “I want you.”

Even if it could only be for tonight, she was Mia, not a mom, not a sister, and not a wife who’d been tossed aside for someone younger and curvier. For this one moment, she didn’t have any responsibilities except what she wanted and needed.

I want you, too.” Nick took her hand and led her toward the car. “A part of me has wanted you since I was fifteen and you hung out at the town beach in that green bikini with the white flowers.”

Her heart lurched. He’d noticed her enough to remember the bikini she’d hidden from her mom. The one she’d bought because she’d heard Nick say he liked green. “You were always with the guys by the life guard station.” Everything about him was a lot sexy and a little bit dangerous.

“I wanted to see you.” His smile was forced, like the admission cost him more than he wanted her to know.

Mia curved her cold hand into his warm one. She’d guessed she’d hurt him the one time they’d gone out, but until tonight she hadn’t understood how much. She couldn’t regret the past, and she couldn’t predict the future, but she could do something about the present. “I want to be with you. Even though we’re not teenagers anymore and I don’t have that green bikini.

Nick’s gaze skimmed her body from head to toe and lingered at her breasts. Then he gave her a grin that was pure bad boy. “I was always a lot more interested in what was underneath that bikini anyway.”

He opened the passenger door for her to slide in.

She looked at him from under her lashes and flirted like she’d wanted to do all those years ago but had been too shy. “You were, were you?”

“Oh yeah.” He shut the car door and, in the sudden silence, panic rolled over her again. Except, there was excitement too…

Other Books in the Firefly Lake Series:

Title: The Cottage at Firefly Lake

Author: Jen Gilroy

Publisher: Forever – Grand Central Publishing

Series: Firefly Lake #1

Date Released: January 31, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction

ISBN: 9781455569595

Some mistakes can never be fixed and some secrets never forgiven … but some loves can never be forgotten.

Add to your “Want to Read” shelf: Goodreads

Book 1 is available at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Praise for The Cottage at Firefly Lake:

“Memories, regrets and second chances are front and center in Gilroy’s fantastic debut.” – RT Book Reviews

About Jen Gilroy:

Jen likes ice cream, diners, vintage style and all things country. Her husband is her real-life romance hero, and her teen daughter teaches her to cherish the blessings in the everyday.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

http://www.barclaypublicity.com/

#Jen Gilroy #Barclay Publicity #Blog Tour #Contemporary Romance

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